Spending, Debt and a New City Council

Inasmuch as local elections are only a few weeks away, it seems to me that the current "big spenders" City Council-redevelopment agency should call a halt to their spending binges and allow the more fiscally conservative--we hope--majority guide us out of the spending frenzy that has developed in the last few years.

For example, despite the so-called hiring freeze, which probably affects the police and fire departments more than any other departments, the council-agency has approved three new executive positions to the tune of at least $2 million yearly and Brand Boulevard is to be remodeled again for at least $2.7 million.

While planning these expenditures, the council-agency apparently ignores the fact that the redevelopment agency has a bonded indebtedness of more than $75 million and an annual debt service on these bonds of more than $7 million a year.

These are only two examples of how the current council continues to create more problems for taxpayers and the new council that will take over in April.

It might be advisable for the current council to either tread water or take a vacation until the new council takes charge.